A/N: I said it was coming soon and here it is! The final chapter of Know Your Limits (I think)! It was short, sickfics tend to be I'm sorry, but I still really enjoyed doing something that didn't require a lot of brainwork ~aha~ not that I don't love the stories that do but even I need an angst break every now and then. Plus I'm not super practiced at writing sickfics so I think overall this was a good trial run for me and I hope everyone enjoyed it. As per usual if you liked this then I encourage you to check out my other VK stuff and if you're not into plot-heavy angsty stuff or this pairing then check out my VK In-Progress series and let me know what one you'd like to see written out next! And, as I've mentioned before, my Discord server is alive and sad, I'd love to see some of you over there if you have some time to spare or ever want to chat. Shoutout to everyone that reads this, I appreciate you a ton and I'll see you again soon! ~Len

Ch. 2: Know Your Limits

As expected the pureblood was already waiting at the gates by the time the car pulled up, getting out Kaito gestured to the other side of the car and waited for the brunette to open the door. "No real surprise but he got worse toward the end, taking him to the infirmary might not do much but..." trailing off he watched as the vampire carefully lifted Zero from the car, careful not to disturb him too much but also checking him over. Giving Kaito and the driver a nod of gratitude he held the silverette close as he sped off to their dorms.

'And you wonder why I worry as much as I do,' Kaname sighed to no one as the doors opened for him and the rest of his inner circle was there to greet him. Before they could say anything Takuma hushed them, moving out of the pureblood's way so he could take Zero back to their room in silence. An act he was appreciative of, he didn't want to wake the teen if he could help it. Upon reaching the desired destination Kaname laid Zero on clean sheets and took to undressing as much of his uniform as he could. Being careful not to cut himself on any of the hidden blades he was fairly proud of himself to be able to strip the other of everything but his shirt and pants. This was going to be the difficult part, Zero was hypersensitive to people or objects touching him in his sleep. He had warned Kaname when the prince first insisted they share a room together but to say he downplayed his anxieties would be a grave understatement. Every touch that wasn't anticipated was met with flash reactions, Kaname had to dodge out of the way of not only Bloody Rose but raw magic that had been shot at him out of pure reflex more than a few times. Zero was always apologetic after, insisting it wasn't a good idea they share the same bed but Kaname was equally insistent they do. Zero eventually gave in to his pushy boyfriend but he was still wary and often didn't sleep until Kaname was already out to avoid the possibility of him hurting the pureblood on accident.

Taking a breath he decided it was best to attempt to wake the hunter before he did anything. Shaking his shoulder a little he watched as hollow glassy eyes, sunken in from sleep deprivation opened just enough for Kaname to see some of the color surrounding the pupils. He bit his lip, the raging worry threatening to take control of his body and rush the silverette to the nearest hospital. "Zero, I'm going to change your clothes, okay?" he made sure to keep his voice low, he didn't wish to cause any more pain. He was given the smallest of nods before those amethyst eyes sheltered themselves once again. It if was any normal night he would have sat there and admired the sleeping hunter but tonight Kaname couldn't help but move quickly, covering his lover in blankets after giving him a new shirt and silk sleeping pants hoping to ease the teen's shaking. Every few moments he stopped and held his breath in order to deeply listen to the other's breathing and heartbeat, making sure it was still steady put the pureblood at ease. Initially, he laid facing away from the other but quickly found he couldn't help but to watch, he was too anxious to sleep without knowing. Rolling over he felt a little better, seeing the hunter inhale and exhale even if it was more labored than normal.

The groan followed by the movement of a certain someone attempting to sit up was enough to pull Kaname from his own slumber, the previous night was rough at best for both of them but he figured he at least got six or seven hours in total. Zero's night had been fitful, waking up in a fever-induced haze several times unable to breathe properly. He had been too tired to move much but the discomfort was evident. "How are you feeling?" Kaname, having moved into a sitting position next to his boyfriend to check his temperature and run a cloth over his forehead, kissed the younger's neck gently. He was still far too warm.

"Shitty," came the mumbled answer, leaning his head against the brunette's shoulder as he massaged the ache in his temples. "What happened?" he asked eventually, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He remembered Kaito giving him a lecture, dragging him to their pick-up site then nothing. No memory of returning to the academy or knowledge of how he ended up in sleeping clothes in their bed.

"Takamiya-kun called me when you two were on your way home, you passed out in the back of the car so I went and got you. He suggested we go to the infirmary and if this doesn't start to go away soon I believe that will be our only option. You could have gotten hurt, you were so out of it I would find it unlikely that you registered most of what you were doing out there. Do you know how dangerous that is? What if something were to go wrong and you couldn't react to it or Takamiya-kun wasn't there to make sure you got home?" Kaname bit his lip before he could wonder any further about what could have been, arms entangling themselves around his hunter he felt a nose nuzzle into his neck followed by a series of soft kisses. Silent assurance that Zero was still there, he wasn't in danger, they were safe. When the silverette tried to pull back, Kaname held him closer. 'I was terrified.' the words went unsaid but Zero knew what he meant.

"I know, I underestimated how bad it would get...I, well...thank you," cheeks flushed, though not from his fever this time, Zero buried his face into the pureblood's shirt so he didn't have to see the 'I told you so' smirk on his face. The vibration he felt from the chuckle was enough. Fingers ran through his hair, pulling out a content sigh from the silverette's lips. Kaname knew what he was trying to say.

"Of course, but, now you are restricted to the moon dorms until you feel well enough. I'm not going to risk you wandering about and ended up somewhere I can't find you," his tone changed course, as Zero expected, he wasn't going to let up on the restrictions and it was probable he informed the rest of the night class of the new development. Zero rolled his eyes, knowing he wasn't going to get out of it, but it was oddly comforting to be reminded of how much Kaname cared about him. Lying back down he nodded, staring at the vampire above him, maybe it was the fever or maybe just because he hardly slowed down enough to notice the expression on the older's normally emotionless mask. Thumbing over a barely noticeable worry crease, he felt the sudden burning need to apologize but suppressed the words before he could speak. It wasn't going to change the situation, instead of being sorry he needed to prove to his partner he would do better.

"Are you going to class tonight?" he wasn't entirely sure what time it was, but he figured it was near the time that crossover would begin even though he didn't hear the girls screaming. Kaname blinked at him before realization sat in, amusement dancing in his eyes at his boyfriend's confusion.

"It's Saturday, you've been asleep for nearly two days," after the shock subsided on the hunter's face he let out an annoyed huff. Had he ever taken this long to recover? It was getting annoying.

"I need a shower..." he mumbled out, realizing how disgusting he felt, his hair didn't tangle but it felt like a bucket of grease had been dumped on him. Everything was clammy, sweaty, the more he thought about it the grosser he felt.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Can you even stand?" Kaname asked seriously, he was worried that Zero was going to immediately overdo it again if he moved too quickly. Before the younger could answer, Kaname was convinced he couldn't shower, at least not alone. "I'm coming with you." he decided.

"Must you?" the flush returned to Zero's cheeks at the statement, he wouldn't normally care about showering with the pureblood, it's not like it was the first time they had done so. But that was when he was healthy, sickness made him feel self-conscious and concerned about what Kaname would think or say the brunette wasn't letting up though and he really did want to shower. "Fine...just don't be an ass..." he grumbled, pulling his legs from the confines of the bedsheets. Kaname's brows furrowed at that, he had never been negatory when it came to Zero's physical appearance that he could recall. He loved his hunter, and Zero was arguably in better shape than anyone he knew. Years of training was certainly evident and he would be the first to say those muscles were a spectacle to look at up close and in person. His daydreaming stopped when he heard the shower start, Zero had left the bathroom door open and it was clear he was still struggling a bit to keep his balance, fatigue becoming more evident as he rested against the counter. Quickly undressing himself Kaname joined his partner and helped him into the hot stream, for once there was no protest as Zero leaned against his chest, doing little more than allowing the water to cascade down his body.

"The water is a little warm, I don't want your fever to spike again..." Kaname mumbled, reaching for the handle, Zero only hummed slowly grabbing his hair products. The older vampire watched more than anything as he soaped his hair and rinsed then repeated the cycle with the conditioner, stopping a couple times to lean against the wall. It was hot, the water felt good but it was beginning to make him dizzy. Stepping back he felt the pureblood behind him in an instant and for once he was grateful for it. "Are you alright? We should get out soon, so you can rest," Kaname's tone was a little firmer this time but Zero wasn't going to argue. He was starting to feel worse.

"Kana...m' too dizzy," voice coming out in nothing above a whisper, was all the warning he was able to give as he felt his knees buckle. An arm gripped his waist before he could fall, coaxing his nearly limp body against the pureblood's own. He didn't register what his boyfriend was saying, he didn't feel the water turn off, and he was only partially conscious by the time he heard his boyfriend urgently ordering Takuma to get the nurse from their doorway before he was lifted back into bed. By the time the nurse arrived Zero's world once again faded.

"You said he collapsed in the shower?" Moari, the nurse for the night class, questioned the pureblood as she ran around taking as many vitals as she could from the silverette.

"Yes, I turned the water temperature down midway through but it's likely he was already too affected by it to make much of a difference. He said he was too dizzy before he fainted, he was partially conscious up until a few minutes ago," Kaname listed out the events, every symptom he could remember Zero having from the time he woke up, he was trying to keep himself calm but the noble woman's consistent frown was making that difficult.

"I believe it's best we get him to a hospital Kaname-sama. It's likely that being in high temperatures made him dehydrated and if he has been asleep for as long as you remember he hasn't drunk anything to combat his fever from the inside. I will also arrange for some antibiotics since it looks like he has suffered from some previous burning, I am aware Kiryuu-san does heal but I also know he is not the most careful while on missions. It won't take more than a few minutes, if anything changes please come find me immediately." Moari explained as she began writing down names and a series of numbers before leaving the room in a rush. Takuma, who had been silently watching the ordeal take place, approached his friend after she left.

"He's going to be alright, he's going to get the help he needs, it's important that we don't assume the worst outcome is the only outcome," all he received was a miserable nod from his leader. "There's not much you could have done differently, Zero is going to do what he feels he needs to no matter what any of us say. Let's just hope he's a bit more careful after this is over," the blond continued, laying a reassuring hand on the pureblood's shoulder. Zero was a lot of firsts for Kaname, his first mutual bond mate, his first boyfriend, and his first reason to worry. Knowing the life of a hunter was nothing short of expecting death around every corner had kept the brunette up for days on more than several occasions. Kaname hummed as an ambulance siren came blaring onto campus. He was ushered to the side as three nurses came in with a plastic cot and lifted the limp hunter onto it before strapping his limbs down. He followed them downstairs, past the worried faces of the nobles and into the back of the noisy vehicle. An IV was swiftly stuck into Zero's arm, the bit of blood that dripped from the wound made Kaname's stomach turn, his boyfriend was sickly pale. One of the men tossed him a look then shoved a bucket under his nose as the pureblood emptied the contents of his stomach until there was nothing left. A damp cloth was handed to him by another one of the nurses who sat down next to him.

"First time?" he asked casually which Kaname supposed was fair considering this was his job, he likely saw this and far worse on a nightly basis. He certainly didn't envy that.

"Yes," he eventually answered after downing a cup of water. The man gave him a sympathetic nod.

"You might not believe me considering the circumstances but he's going to be fine, the fever is already going down and his vitals are stable. You're not completely out of the woods but I'd say after a day or two on the IV he'll be set to go back home." he assured as the truck came to a stop, the door opened and the men rushed Zero out on the bed into a door with bright lights labeled 'ER' Kaname himself was called in soon after. Moari was there, directing nurses and explaining to another doctor the situation, Kaname was grateful for that. He felt as though the energy had been zapped from him, collapsing in the nearest chair he waited for someone to approach him with the details.

'He's going to be fine, he's going to be fine,' he repeated the man's words like a broken record until Moari walked up to him. They had moved Zero somewhere else but he hadn't noticed.

"Kaname-sama, they moved him to a room, he is stable, on fluids and antibiotics as I mentioned before. The doctors here would like to monitor his progression for two days and if everything goes as planned you'll be able to go home, I have already notified Cross-san of the situation. You can go see him now." she handed him a slip of paper with a room number and the name of the first nurse that would be taking care of Zero. Thanking her Kaname made his way through the hospital to find Zero's room, third floor, room eight. He knocked to make sure he was allowed to enter, hearing an invitation from the other side he pushed open the heavy wood and observed the room with a passing glance as his eyes fell on the sleeping face of his partner. Even in such a state Zero managed to look angelic, features caressed by the moon's light that peered at them through the curtains. His hands were still soft, and there was some color back in his face. Kaname breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to be off the field for a while, aren't I," the slightly slurred mumble brought the brunette's attention back to the sickbed. Hazy eyes opened halfway and slowly took in the room, Zero winced as he attempted to move his arm and grimaced at the IV. Vampires and IVs weren't a good mix he had formerly learned.

"Yes, I would keep you off permanently if I could," Kaname huffed, annoyance sparking, they were in this situation because of the stupid association.

"You can't, we both know that, so cherish the break I'll get to recover-" he yawned, growing sleepy once again under the heavy medication. "-and stay with me," even an alpha vampire couldn't stay annoyed at that request, pulling up a chair he made himself as comfortable as possible as he watched his lover sleep.

Two nights passed without complications and they were both ready to go home, Kaname sent Seiren to pick up an additional prescription for the hunter as they were finally picked up. Zero didn't say much, leaning against the brunette during the car ride in silence, his fever was nearly gone and he no longer felt like the world was doing somersaults when he stood or tried to walk. That being said the hospital was a tiring place to be, nobles buzzing around him all the time made it difficult to relax once the medication wore off and no longer made him drowsy. He once again received a lecture and strict instructions to stay home until he was completely over this sickness. "It's good to be home," he sighed, taking in the fresh air of the campus at night. The others were still in class so he would be spared the embarrassment of having to assume what they saw as he was being carted out of the building.

"Indeed, I know you needed a vacation but this is not what I would consider the most ideal way to achieve one," Kaname mused from behind him, Zero rolled his eyes but agreed that he should maybe consider taking some more time off during the year.

"No, it's not, I will be happy if I don't visit a hospital for the remainder of my life." he sighed, kicking his shoes off and falling into their bed. Kaname smiled, joining his lover a few moments later, planting a kiss on his head while they relaxed in the familiarity of their room.

"Then you need to know your limits, and learn to recognize when enough is enough," an annoyed huff was all the pureblood got in reply but it was enough, his message was received.

Fin.

A/N: Yay it's finished! I might add an epilogue later down the road like I tend to do with my stories but for now, this is where I will leave you. Thank you again to everyone who read this, I really appreciate it and I hope it wasn't overdone. I really loved writing it even though it wasn't technically supposed to be on my "to-do list" of Vampire Knight fanfictions I'm still very pleased. As with the endings of all my fics please let me know what you would like to see next! I have a slew of crap ready to be written but I'm terrible at making decisions so I need your help. It's always a pleasure to write things that people are actually going to read, so thank you again, have a wonderful evening/day or whatever time slot you're in ad remember to keep writing, keep reading and live creative! Until Next Time! ~Len